Greetings alan
Some notable victories were scored by Brititsh seaplanes against German airships, contributing to the establishment of air supremacy over the North Sea. On 14 May 1917, a Curtiss H-12 'Large America' flying boat intercepted the L-22 off Terschelling Light Vessel around 0500 hrs. The airship was on a mine-spotting patrol, and was only at an altitude of some 3000 ft. The H-12, piloted by FSL robert Leckie with co-pilot J. O. Galpin, was at 6000 ft when the target was sighted. The H-12 dove on the airship, firing incendiary bullets, and the L-22 fell in flames. Leckie and Galpin both received the DSO for this action, and the two ratings on board were decorated as well.
Leckie and Galpin also engaged the L-40 on 24 May and 5 June, but in these encounters the airship had an initial altitude advantage, and was able to climb quickly out of range. On 14 June, however, the L-43 was patrolling over minesweepers roughly 40 miles north of Terschelling at below 2000 ft. The airship was engaged by an H-12 flown by FSL B. D. Hobbs and R. F. Dickey, who dove on the L-43 and sent it down in flames.
In response to this harassment by flying boats, a minimum patrolling altitude of 13,000 ft was established for airships operating over the Heligoland Bight, hampering their effectiveness in the reconnaissance mission. Additionally, German fighting seaplane strength in the area was increased, both in numbers and in quality.
Since this post is in the 'People' forum, let me add a few closing notes about Robert Leckie.
Although he was not an "ace", Leckie probably had a greater impact on the air war than many flyers who were! Among his accomplishments were the first long range night patrol over the North Sea by a British flying boat (30 May 1918), and lead pilot in a formation of five flying boats that took part in the largest seaplane action of the war (4 June 1918), a dogfight with over a dozen German seaplane fighters. Continuing his vendetta against airships on the evening of 5 August 1918, Leckie was manning the Lewis gun in a DH-4 flown by Maj. Egbert Cadbury when they downed the L-70, the newest and largest airship of the German Naval Airship Division. Among the casualties of this action was
Fregattenkapitän Peter Strasser, Chief of the Naval Airship Division, and leading proponent of the military Zeppelin. Leckie survived the war, and rose to the rank of Air Marshal in the RCAF in WWII. Not a bad career resume for a seaplane pilot!
